Category: Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe has been the pioneer in the luxury watchmaking industry for nearly 200 years. This finest watchmaker combines its strict dedication to tradition, technological wonders and craftsmanship to make some of the most iconic watches. Patek Philippe knows what represents an iconic reference.

Eventually, every timepiece within Patek Philippe’s catalogue has turned to be a status symbol over the years. And they remain excellent investment pieces because of their ability to retain value and price surge in the resale market.

So let’s explore a generation of some iconic Patek Philippe models. They represent the brand’s core ethics and hold excellent resale value, making them sound investments.

Patek Philippe Nautilus

Patek Philippe introduced the Nautilus collection, representing the sports watch industry. However, the first Nautilus watch that made its debut in 1976 was the Reference 3700/1. The story behind the creation of Nautilus is pretty fascinating.

• It is said that the legendary designer Gerald Genta took inspiration from a porthole while designing the Nautilus.
• However, the result was a timepiece with a stainless steel framework that met the market demand for steel luxury sports watches.
• Eventually, when Patek Philippe launched the Nautilus 5711/1 in stainless steel, it became a massive success.

The Nautilus is by far the most cherished and coveted stainless steel sports watch globally. However, the brand upgraded the Nautilus line over the years. The Nautilus is today available in white gold, yellow and also in rose gold.

Moreover, among its several popular versions, the Nautilus with chronograph functionality is more sought-after among collectors. The Nautilus offers many exclusive features that make it an actual sports timepiece.

Also Read: An Unexpected Move: Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711 Discontinued

Patek Philippe Aquanaut

Taking inspiration from the Nautilus, Patek Philippe launched another cornerstone collection in 1997 – the Aquanaut. However, although it appears similar to the Nautilus, the Aquanaut has a personality of its own.

• For instance, the Aquanaut comes with a less and a more contemporary angular look than its predecessor.
• However, the most defining feature that makes it stand out from other Patek models is its rounded octagonal shape.

The Aquanaut also sports a tropical strap that offers resistance to water, UV rays and abrasion. Furthermore, Patek equips the watch with many complications that run on a chronograph movement.

Patek Philippe Calatrava

One of the unique and most elegant Patek Philippe collections is the Calatrava, celebrated for its grace and beauty. The Calatrava has been a mainstay series in the brand’s catalogue for nearly 80 years. However, the collection includes watches of varied styles like references with a small seconds sub-dial.

There are also watches with three hands. Moreover, you can also find some Calatrava references featuring date functionality.

Also Read: The Mid-size Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Presents a Bright New Colourway

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse

Another one-of-a-kind collection in the brand’s portfolio is the Golden Ellipse. Patek Philippe deviated from conventional watch shapes and offered the Golden Ellipse a circular casing. However, the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse watches exhibit a minimalistic and sophisticated look with a well-proportionate dial.

Interestingly, the inspiration behind the creation of the Golden Ellipse was the discovery of the ancient green mathematicians – “Golden Section”.

Overall, Patek Philippe has always awed its enthusiasts and collectors with its distinctive watch concepts. This watchmaker is undeniably one of the most unrivalled leaders of Swiss luxury watchmaking.

Patek Philippe makes avant-garde watches without ever compromising the quality. And this makes Patek timepieces stand the test of time, holding excellent resale value with time.
Eventually, a Patek Philippe watch serves as a valuable asset to sell in a hard-up situation. However, if you want to sell a Patek Philippe watch, make sure you choose a trusted watch buyer like The Luxury Hut.

Our expert evaluators always keep track of the changing luxury watch market trends and prices. Thus, we can determine an accurate price for any pre-owned Patek Philippe watch. Want to know how much you can get for your Patek Philippe watch?

Fill in our online form with all details of your timepiece and get an instant free competitive quote.

Also Read: How to Verify the Authenticity of a Patek Philippe Watch?

Do you know how can you verify the authenticity of a Patek Philippe watch? Founded in 1839 in the Canton of Geneva, Patek Philippe is among the world’s premier luxury Swiss watchmakers. The brand is revered by virtually everyone from watch naives to ardent watch enthusiasts. Patek Philippe has been continually elevating the luxury watchmaking standards over 180years of its storied legacy.

Today, for many, owning Patek Philippe watches is an achievement. While the brand puts a considerable amount of care into each watch, mass production is not possible. It is estimated that Patek Philippe has produced only about a million timepieces since its inception.

Now:

The premium quality, incredible demand, and limited production make Patek Philippe ripe for counterfeiters. Thus, the market is unfortunately inhabited by several fake Patek Philippe watches that can easily deceive any average and eager watch buyers.

However, the good news is that some tell-tale signs can help you to identify a fake Patek Philippe watch. Continue reading as we have outlined every aspect you need to verify the authenticity of a Patek Philippe watch.

Even before you head out to sell a Patek Philippe watch, take a look at these aspects to verify whether a timepiece you own is authentic or fake.

How can I tell if my Patek Philippe is real?

Each Patek Philippe collection possesses its signature features. However, we have jotted down the general features that will help you spot a fake Patek Philippe watch.

Analyse Metal’s Type and Quality

Patek Philippe has always been very particular and precise on the types of materials they use for making its watches. Most of the brand’s watches are crafted gold and platinum, although stainless steel models are also available. However, what you need to keep in mind is that –

Patek Philippe only employs the highest quality of each metal. They leave no room for deformities.

Counterfeiters typically provide more attention to the appearance than the overall watch’s quality. The quality of metals used for fake Patek watches may be good but won’t meet a genuine Patek Philippe’s quality standards.

So if the metal shows even the tiniest imperfections, the watch is probably a fake one. Patek Philippe is committed to such quality control standards that no timepiece can leave the factory with any signs of imperfections.

Look at the Case and Inside the Case-back

Genuine and authenticated Patek Philippe watch cases are made of 18ct gold, platinum or stainless steel. Moreover, Patek watches generally feature solid case-backs without any engravings or adornments (some limited edition models are the exceptions).

Another minor but significant detail that is often overlooked is the serial number’s placement.

• Many watchmakers engrave the serial number on the case back’s external portion.
• While it is so common, several counterfeiters do not offer this detail a second thought.

Keep in mind that Patek Philippe does not inscribe its watches’ serial number on the case back’s outer side.

• The number is engraved inside the case-back.
• And the timepieces with transparent backs have their model and serial numbers inscribed around the interior edges.
• Moreover, the latest watches from the brand come with “PPC” engraved in the lugs and the case’s metal like Pt950 for platinum or Au750 for gold.

So turn over the Patek Philippe watch and check if it has any numbers printed on the case-back. If it has, then you know that you are dealing with a fake watch.

Check the Dial and Crown

At a glance, you may not identify a fake Patek Philippe watch looking at its dial as it appears pretty like the genuine one. But there are minor tell-tale details to spot the fake. Let’s begin with the font.

• Patek Philippe uses a unique font and also of a specific size on its watches.
• The letters will be crisp, evenly spaced and no misspellings.

On the contrary, counterfeit Patek watches will not flaunt the same font or try to use a bigger size, exhibiting the brand name more prominently.

Moreover, genuine Patek Philippe watches, besides skeletonised models, do not sport visible balance wheels or tourbillon on the dial. Now:

• Take a close look at the lugs present at the 6 o’clock mark.
• Original platinum Patek Philippe watches feature one small diamond set in the middle of the lugs.
• If the diamond appears more prominent in the Patek in your hand or is missing, it is a fake.

However, make sure to check the crown. On genuine Patek Philippe watches, the crown is etched to perfection. This detail is something you will need to check using a magnifying lens.

If you find no detail on the crown or the design looks spotty, the watch is not genuine.

The watch’s weight is another indication

Another aspect that you should consider is the heft or weight. While finding out how to verify the authenticity of a Patek Philippe watch, it is essential to consider that the brand uses only high-quality materials. And they add a solid weight to the timepieces.

If the timepiece you are considering now feels lighter or seems to weigh similar to an average watch available at discount shops, it is not an authenticate Patek Philippe.

Take a look at the bracelet

Genuine Patek Philippe bracelets are also made of platinum and 18ct gold. However, the straps are made of leather or a distinctive composite material. What is significant for you to note is that the brand inscribes the model number specific to a watch’s series on the bracelets.

• Moreover, genuine and authenticate Patek Philippe straps feature the brand’s logo and Calatrava Cross engraved on the inner side.
• Furthermore, buckles also flaunt the Patek’s logo; whereas, all deployment clasps have the Calatrava Cross.

Remember that counterfeit watches are today more precisely made, and sometimes it becomes challenging for naives to tell if a Patek Philippe watch is authentic. Thus, if you doubt a watch’s authenticity, it is better to pass on the deal.

Many professional and trusted dealers buy and sell genuine Patek Philippe watches like The Luxury Hut. Contact us at 0207 242 9160 for any queries you may have regarding buying and selling pre-owned Patek Philippe watches.

Yes, you hear it right. Patek Philippe stopped producing the iconic Nautilus Reference 5711.

The brand has discontinued not only one of its most iconic models but also one of the world’s most popular and coveted watches. This news is certainly not that watch enthusiasts across the globe anticipated at the start of 2021.

The irony is that one of the most talked-about timepieces of 2021 is not a brand-new launch but, instead, discontinuation.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 is much more than a mere timekeeper. And the brand ceased its production when virtually all watch collectors today want to buy the watch for vast gobs of money.

However, the leading watchmaker, Patek Philippe, must have little logic to stop producing a globally popular item. Perhaps it is a smart move, and one might need to do something like this at a time.

Continue reading to find out what’s the actual logic behind such a surprising move by Patek Philippe.

Why Patek Philippe discontinued Nautilus Ref. 5711?

Patek Philippe has been producing the Nautilus Reference 5711 for about 43years. However, its demand escalated a few years ago. As per reports in 2019, the waiting list for this particular model extended for eight years. Now:

While the brand discontinued the Nautilus 5711, the waitlist will extend forever. But the interesting fact is that Patek Philippe has stopped producing the timepiece back in 2019. They remained tight-lipped.

Of course, Patek’s enthusiasts and collectors were upset about it, and the same was the retailers. Lots of people have been eagerly waiting to buy and sell this watch. And now, the only way to get this model would be to dive into the second hand market and purchase it for staggering gobs of money.

So the question is – why Patek Philippe discontinued its most popular and sought-after creation?

Patek Philippe’s President, Thierry Stern, speaking to the Times, has said –

“We are doing this for our clients who already own a Patek Philippe and to protect our brand from becoming too commercial.”

“I can continue to make this fantastic product or sell 10 times more of them. But I am not working for numbers. I am protecting the company for the future, for my children.”

Stern is well-aware that discontinuing the iconic Nautilus 5711 will upset its global fans and collectors. However, as Stern stated, he followed a lesson that his father taught him, and today he is passing down the same to his children.

“When you have a fantastic brand like Patek, you have to protect the brand and not just one product,” he said.

Well, this is a brilliant move or rather a smart decision for high-end timepieces. But it works well not only for watches but also with other top-selling things in the world.

The Discontinued Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711

The Nautilus Reference 5711 in stainless steel and a vibrant blue dial became so famous that its significance changed. Depending on the person, the watch represented many things. While some blazed it as a sign of wealth, others considered it the epitome of modern watch design.

Moreover, the Nautilus Reference 5711 was a unique steel sports timepiece from a brand more recognised for dress watches for many people. The watch was enjoying a fascinating demand and price surge. And the waitlist also extended before Patek announced its discontinuation.

The Nautilus 5711 will have a successor or successors. However, Reference 5711 is a significant part of Patek Philippe’s past but not its future.

Nonetheless, if you are looking to sell a Patek Philippe watch for the best price in London, fill up our online form or call on 0207 242 9160 for a free competitive quote.